The present invention generally relates to temperature control systems for maintaining the temperature of an electronic device at a predetermined temperature while the device is being tested.
Testing equipment has been utilized in the electronics industry to test the operation of an electronic device under test (DUT) such as an integrated circuit. Often, the testing equipment will include a thermal head having a temperature controlled surface which is brought into thermal engagement with a top surface of the DUT. The thermal head functions to maintain a predetermined temperature during the testing operation.
The integrated circuit is typically mounted to a carrier substrate having a plurality of depending pins, pads or other such contacts. The contacts are mated with corresonding contacts of a test fixture. As a result, the test fixture will be electrically connected to the DUT so that the testing operation can be performed.
Ideally, the DUT will be installed in the test fixture such that its top surface is exactly horizontal. In a real manufacturing environment, however, such is not always the case. For example, the top surface of the DUT may be slightly canted with respect to the horizontal after installation in the test fixture. This can cause poor electrical connection between at least some of the respective contacts. In addition, the temperature controlled surface of the thermal head (which is horizontal) may not fully engage the top surface of the DUT. As a result, heat transfer between the thermal head and the DUT will suffer.